Act I, Scene 3 Summary and Analysis
The setting shifts to a room in Polonius’s house. Laertes is preparing to leave for France and is wishing his beautiful sister, Ophelia, farewell. He brings up Ophelia’s budding romance with Prince Hamlet and cautions her against pursuing the relationship further. Laertes reminds Ophelia that, as a prince, Hamlet’s will is not his own. While Hamlet may casually pursue a noblewoman like Ophelia, his marriage is a matter for the state. Given this reality, Laertes tells Ophelia that she must act cautiously and protect her virtue. Ophelia agrees to take this advice to heart, though she points out that Laertes has not exactly followed his own advice. Just then, Polonius enters and chastises Laertes for dawdling while the ship to France awaits. He then proceeds to impart several pieces of advice to Laertes. Polonius advises Laertes to think things through before acting, to remain faithful to his old friends while being wary of new friends, to listen to everyone’s opinions but keep his judgements to himself, to take care with his appearance, to neither borrow nor lend money, and, most importantly, to remain true to himself. Laertes departs after reminding Ophelia to remember his advice. Polonius asks Ophelia what Laertes told her, and she replies that he was giving her advice about Prince Hamlet. When questioned about the nature of her relationship with Hamlet, Ophelia admits that he has confessed his love for her. Agreeing with Laertes, Polonius tells his daughter not to take Hamlet’s words of love seriously and orders her to keep her distance. Ophelia dutifully agrees.
Analysis
These three scenes conclude act 1 and set up the question that will drive the rest of the play’s conflict: what will Hamlet do now that he knows about his father’s murder? Scene 3 introduces the audience to Polonius’s intimate family life—a sharp contrast to Hamlet’s own fractured family. While currents of suspicion and dislike run through Hamlet’s interactions with Gertrude and Claudius, a fairly close relationship is suggested between Polonius and his children. Polonius takes care to give Laertes fatherly—albeit clichéd—advice, illustrating the sort of affectionate father-son relationship that Hamlet has been deprived of. Both Laertes and Polonius urge Ophelia to step back from Hamlet’s advances, warning her that a casual romance will not hurt Hamlet but could ruin her reputation. While the advice is pragmatic, their counsel is belittling: “Affection? Pooh! You speak like a green girl, / Unsifted in such perilous circumstance.” Laertes in particular seems to undermine his message of chastity with graphic sexual metaphors. For her part, Ophelia is clever enough to recognize Laertes’s hypocrisy in advising her to remain chaste and protect her reputation:
Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,
Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,
Whilst, like a puff'd and reckless libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads
And recks not his own rede.
This cheeky response suggests that Ophelia is more intelligent than her brother and father give her credit for. Though Polonius and Laertes’s behavior toward Ophelia is undoubtedly problematic by modern standards, it is an accurate reflection of Elizabethan gender roles. A noblewoman’s chastity and reputation would have been of the utmost importance to her family, as she would not be able to make a good marriage without these things intact. In the end, Ophelia dutifully dutifully agrees to obey her brother and father, indicating an essentially mellow and passive personality.
The theme of appearance versus reality reappears as Hamlet criticizes Claudius’s penchant for revelry, which he claims has made Denmark an international laughingstock and corrupted its otherwise noble reputation. Soon after, the reappearance of the ghost serves as a confirmation that something is indeed “rotten in the state of Denmark.” When Horatio and Marcellus express concern at Hamlet’s going off alone with the ghost, Hamlet replies that he does not care about his life, echoing his earlier statements about his desire to commit suicide. Despite his lack of fear, Hamlet wonders whether the ghost is a “spirit of health or goblin damned," the first of many questions about the spiritual world and the immortal soul that Hamlet will ponder throughout the play.
In scene 5, the ghost of Hamlet’s father finally reveals the reason for his presence and, urging Hamlet to “revenge his foul and most unnatural murder,” sets the primary plot of the play into motion. That Claudius killed his brother with poison only reinforces Hamlet’s beliefs that Claudius himself is a toxic, corrupting influence on both Queen Gertrude and Denmark itself.
When Hamlet meets with Horatio and Marcellus after his encounter with the ghost, he warns them that he may begin to put on an “antic disposition,” indicating that his plan to feign madness is already forming. This invites the audience to consider a central question of the play: does there come a point at which Hamlet is no longer acting and has truly gone mad? If so, when does this switch occur? Some scholars point to this very scene as the beginning of Hamlet’s descent into madness, noting his agitated and frenzied behavior toward Marcellus and Horatio after his meeting with the ghost. Strangely, Hamlet refers to the ghost below their feet as “truepenny” and “old mole,” and his erratic behavior leads Horatio to comment, “These are but wild and whirling words, my lord.”
Hamlet is ultimately a sensitive and introspective individual—a thinker rather than a doer. He himself suggests that it is not in his nature to seek a bloody revenge: “O cursed spite, / That ever I was born to set it right!” As the play progresses and the line between appearance and reality becomes more blurred, it will be left up to the audience to determine whether Hamlet is merely acting the part or whether the burden of revenge has truly driven Hamlet mad.
Expert Q&A
What three comparisons does Laertes make about Hamlet's affection for Ophelia in Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet? How does he liken Hamlet's love to an early spring violet?
In Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet, Laertes compares Hamlet's affection for Ophelia to three fleeting things: a fashion or style that quickly changes, a "toy in blood" indicating a passing whim, and an early spring violet that is beautiful but short-lived. These comparisons emphasize the transient nature of Hamlet's love, suggesting it is sweet but not lasting, akin to a brief perfume scent.
What literary devices does Polonius use in act 1, scene 3 of Hamlet while advising Laertes?
In act 1, scene 3 of Hamlet, Polonius uses several literary devices while advising Laertes. He employs metaphors, such as "hoops of steel" to describe strong friendships. He personifies "apparel" and "time" to emphasize their importance. Additionally, he uses parallelism in his syntax for structural balance and metonymy, substituting words to describe closely related concepts, like "Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice."
In act 1, scene 3 of Hamlet, what does "give thy thoughts no tongue" mean?
In Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet, "give thy thoughts no tongue" means to refrain from speaking one's thoughts aloud. Polonius advises his son Laertes to be cautious and discreet, emphasizing the importance of protecting one's reputation. This advice is part of a broader counsel on maintaining appearances and exercising restraint in speech and judgment, reflecting Polonius' concern for family reputation and etiquette.
What is Ophelia's interaction with Polonius in Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet?
In Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet, Ophelia interacts with Polonius after Laertes advises her to be cautious of Hamlet's love. Polonius questions Ophelia about her relationship with Hamlet, and upon learning of Hamlet's affections, he dismisses them as insincere. Polonius then instructs Ophelia to distance herself from Hamlet to protect her honor, believing Hamlet's intentions are dishonorable.
In Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet, what does Polonius's "both" refer to?
In Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet, Polonius's use of the word "both" refers to the light and heat that Hamlet's vows of love supposedly provide. He warns Ophelia that these vows are like "blazes"—they appear bright and warm initially but quickly die out, offering neither enduring light nor warmth. Polonius cautions Ophelia not to trust Hamlet's professions of love, as they are insincere and fleeting.
How is sympathy created for Hamlet and Ophelia in Act 1, Scene 3?
In Act 1, Scene 3, sympathy for Hamlet and Ophelia is generated through the portrayal of obstacles to their love. Laertes advises Ophelia against Hamlet, emphasizing the political pressures on him as a prince. Polonius dismisses Ophelia's feelings as naive, disregarding her genuine uncertainty about Hamlet's love. This scene highlights how both characters are constrained by societal expectations and familial pressures, evoking sympathy for their lack of autonomy and the challenges they face.
What does the quote "ay springes to catch woodcocks" from Hamlet's Act 1, Scene 3 mean? Is it a metaphor?
The quote "ay springes to catch woodcocks" from Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet means "snares or traps to catch foolish birds or fools." It is a metaphor used by Polonius to express his skepticism about Hamlet's vows of love to Ophelia, implying they are deceitful and meant to trap her.
How does Polonius depict Ophelia as immature in Hamlet's Act 1, Scene 3?
Polonius calls Ophelia immature in act 1, scene 3 of Hamlet by describing her as a "green girl." By this, he means that she's innocent of the ways of the world and therefore shouldn't accept Hamlet's overtures of affection. Polonius senses that Hamlet's just trying to lead his daughter on.
In Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet, what evidence shows Polonius's long-windedness?
Polonius's long-windedness is evident in Act 1, Scene 3, as he delivers an extensive, clichéd lecture to Laertes before his departure to France. He dispenses a series of maxims and advice over more than twenty lines, demonstrating his tendency to talk at length without substance. Additionally, Polonius gives a similarly verbose lecture to Ophelia, ironically advising her not to waste time, while he himself is indulging in lengthy, unnecessary speeches.
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